Lumitex Home pageLCD BacklightingFiber Optic Machine Vision LightingCustom Fiber Optic Lighting Devices Purchase Bulk Optical Fibers from stockDetailed Specification Sheets on various topicsFill out a form to let us know more about your needsLearn more about the Lumitex CompanyPoly-Optical Products is a Division of Lumitex, Visit their site hereComplete Index of the entire Lumitex WebsiteSend an email to a Lumitex Applications EngineerMembrane Switch BacklightingMedical and Surgical LightingFind out how Lumitex Fiber Optic Lighting worksFind out how Lumitex Lighting works

Lumitex Woven Fiber Optic Panels are patented, light emitting panels woven from plastic optical fibers.  The thin, flat panel is heat and EMI free and provides superior brightness, longer life, and significant design flexibility when compared to other lighting products.

As in other fiber optic technologies, light enters the Lumitex panel through each highly polished fiber end.  Unlike the others, however, computer controlled "macro-bends" cause the transmitted light to be emitted from the sides of the fibers through the cladding.  The cladding itself is not scratched, hot-stamped or etched.  Precisely engineered construction causes all light to be emitted uniformly along the length of the panel.

Layers of fiber optic weave are assembled together with double sided adhesive into as many as eight layers.  A mylar reflector is laminated to the back and a clear vinyl top layer is added for extra durability.  For some applications (such as LCD backlighting), a semitransparent diffuser layer is placed between the top weave layer and the clear vinyl.

The optical fibers extend from the panel in cable form and are bundled into a brass ferrule and highly polished.  These ferrules are then connected to a remote light source.  Sources vary from single LED's to low-current incandescants to halogen lamps with a variety of power ratings.  Most sources are DC and have lamp lives ranges from 10,000 hours to 100,000 hours.

Lumitex's unique manufacturing process allows for an easily customizable product that suits a number of applications in industrial, medical, marine, aviation, automotive, and communication products.  This product is most commonly used for LCD, Membrane Switch and Machine Vision Lighting, but is also used in many specialized application.  Contact a Lumitex Sales Engineer to discuss your application. 

Fiber Optic Light Source Information

Description

Part #

Volts

Amps/Power

Brightness

Life

Color

White LED

003387

3.5-4.0vdc

20-30mA

5.6 cd

60,000 hrs

Full spectrum white

Green LED

003385

3.5-4.0vdc

20-30mA

10 cd

100,000 hrs

525 nm

Blue LED

003386

3.5-4.0vdc

20-30mA

3 cd

60,000 hrs

470 nm

Amber LED

003383

1.8-2.4vdc

20-30mA

4-9cd

100,000 hrs

590 nm

Red LED

003018

1.8-2.4vdc

20-30mA

1.3 cd

100,000 hrs

640 nm

ILS-4 (Incandescent)

004341

5v

80mA

.15 mscp

10,000 hrs

2290 deg K

BB-2 (Halogen)

Various

5v

4.85W

3.8 mscp

15,000 hrs

2760 deg K

RB-1100 (Halogen)

Various

12v

35W

 

3,000 hrs

 

MV-150 (Machine Vision Illuminator)

003100

115vac

150W

22 lum/w

900 hrs

3120 deg K

MV-150 (European)

003500

220vac

150W

22 lum/w

900 hrs

3120 deg K

Other source combinations are available, contact Sales Engineering (info@lumitex.com) to discuss your specific needs.

Approximate Panel Brightness in Foot-Lamberts

Source

1 layer 2"x2"

1 layer 3"x4"

1 layer 4"x6"

2 layer 1"x3"

2 layer 2"x6"

2 layer 3"x4" (2-LED's)

3 layer 3"x4" (3-LED's)

4 layer 3"x4" (4-LED's)

Green LED

22

11

6.8

30

13

21

31

39

White LED

7.5

3.6

2.2

10

4.3

7.1

10

13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ILS-4

15

7.0

4.3

19

8.4

13

20

25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 layer 4"x4"

1 layer 6"x8"

2 layer 3"x4"

2 layer 4"x6"

3 layer 2"x4"

3 layer 2"x8"

4 layer 1"x4"

4 layer 2"x8"

BB-2 4.85W

45

22

90

55

130

65

170

75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 layer 2"x2"

8 layer 3"x3"

6 layer 4"x4"

6 layer 4"x6"

6 layer 4"x12"

6 layer 4"x18"

5 layer 7"x8"

 

MV-150

4500

2800

2000

1400

700

460

800

 

Panel Brightness can be doubled by "Weaving to Center".  Put one source on each side of the panel, the light from each source travels half way to the center of the panel.  This doubles the number of sources used and doubles the light output.

Panel Thickness in Inches

Layers

Uniglo

Woven Sandwich Construction, no top cover

Woven Sandwich Construction, with top cover

Woven Wrapped Construction with diffuser

Thickness Tolerance

1

0.013

0.032

0.037

0.039

+/- 0.007

2

0.027

0.059

0.064

0.068

+/- 0.007

3

0.040

 

 

0.097

+/- 0.007

4

 

 

 

0.126

+/- 0.015

5

 

 

 

0.155

+/- 0.015

6

 

 

 

0.184

+/- 0.015

8

 

 

 

0.242

+/- 0.025

Uniglo:  A thinner fiber optic construction manufactured by Poly-Optical, a Division of Lumitex (Irvine, CA)

Sandwich Construction:  The Mylar back-reflector and clear vinyl top cover are adhered directly onto the fibers.  This allows for a thinner panel.

Wrapped Construction:  A diffuser layer is adhered to the vinyl top cover.  The top cover is then wrapped around the sides of the panel and adhered to the back of the panel.  This allows for an air gap between the fiber and the diffuser layer which improves the smoothness of the light output appearance.

Standard Tolerances in Inches                                                  (Contact Lumitex Applications Engineering for special tolerance needs)

Panel Width

0"-6"

6+"

 

 

 

 

Tolerance

+0.000" -0.030"

+0.000" -0.060"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Panel Length

0"-8"

8"-12"

12"-24"

24+"

 

 

Tolerance

+/- 0.025"

+/- 0.050"

+/- 0.100"

+/- 0.250"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cable Length

0"-8"

8"-12"

12"-24"

24+"

 

 

Tolerance

+/- 0.200"

+/- 0.375"

+/- 0.500"

+/- 1.000"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ferrule Designation

200

250 (1/4")

3/8"

1/2"

3/4"

1"

Ferrule Diameter

0.195"

0.244"

0.365"

0.490"

0.740"

0.995"

Tolerance

+0.001" -0.002"

+/- 0.005"

+/- 0.010"

+0.000" -0.010"

+/- 0.010"

+0.000" -0.010"

Ferrule Length

0.235"

0.300"

0.625"

0.625"

0.750

1.00"

Tolerance

+/- 0.010"

+/- 0.030"

+/- 0.060"

+/- 0.060"

+/- 0.120"

+/- 0.120"

Cable Length is measured from the inside edge of the brass ferrule to the leading edge of the light emitting surface.

Ferrule:  Brass tube that is crimped around the fiber bundle to allow for efficient coupling with light source.

Materials and other specifications:

Fiber:  Mitsubishi Rayon SK-10, diameter is 250 um or 0.010 inches.  Numerical aperture is 0.48 min, 0.51 typical, 0.54 max.  Approximate weight is 0.08 g/m,  Specific gravity is 1.19.

Fiber Core:  PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) also known as Acrylic Polymer, refractive index is 1.492.

Fiber Cladding:  Fluorinated Polymer, refractive index is 1.402.

Cross Fiber:  Polyester Mono filament, diameter is 0.006 inches (used to weave the optical fibers into a flat cloth)

Back reflector:  Melinex  0.005 inches thick.

Diffuser:  Polyester Diffusing Film, 0.005 inches thick.

Top Cover (Top Laminate):  Clear vinyl film coated with pressure sensitive adhesive on one side.  Thickness is 0.005 inches

Adhesives:  Double Laminate is a double sided adhesive with a thin carrier in the middle, it is used between layers of weave.  3M467 or 3M468 is a stronger adhesive with no carrier, it is used in the sandwich construction to increase the bonding strength between the weave and reflector or top laminate.

Product Temperature Ratings:  -50 deg C to +85 deg C  (If the final product will be exposed to temperatures above +50 deg C, then specify that during the design and quoting process.  Lumitex will add a step called annealing that prevents the light output uniformity from changing at the higher temperature.

Fiber Attenuation Chart  Lumitex products are designed to operate in the visible spectrum.  Some limited applications outside the visible spectrum are possible.

For more detailed information, refer to our Tech Notes section or contact Lumitex Fiber Optics Applications Engineering at 440-243-8401.  Or e-mail us at info@lumitex.com

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